Bonded Stores

Bonded stores allow a vessel to take on duty-free goods, principally alcohol and tobacco, alongside other bonded provisions, without payment of UK excise duty, provided they remain under customs control until the ship departs. For a vessel calling at a UK port, this is a significant saving over duty-paid equivalents, and it’s one of the services most closely tied to Altham’s long-standing relationship with HM Revenue & Customs and the ports we serve.

As a bonded warehouse operator, we hold and manage stock under the appropriate customs approvals, releasing goods to vessels only once the correct documentation and clearance are in place. That means the process is straightforward from the customer’s side; you order, we handle the compliance, and the goods are delivered ready for loading.

Our bonded stores typically cover:

• Duty-free spirits, wine and beer
• Cigarettes and tobacco products
• Other bonded provisions on request

This service is most commonly ordered alongside a wider provisions or technical stores order, rather than as a standalone delivery. Vessels tend to combine their duty-free requirements with the rest of their stores run to minimise handling and delivery costs.

Six generations of the Altham family have managed bonded goods for vessels using Heysham and the surrounding ports, and the compliance side of this service is one we take as seriously as the commercial side. The paperwork has to be right, every time, for both the vessel and HMRC.

If you’re planning a call and want to include bonded stores in your order, get in touch and we’ll talk through what you need.